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No. 69,693.- Patemed oct. 8,1867. I

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i; RS, PHOTO-LIYHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON, D. C.

' @eine tateestwt @ffice FREEMAN MOORE ANI) JOHN A. BAKER, OI*1 OARROLLTON, OIIIO.

LettersPatent No. 69,693, dated October 8, 1867.

turnover) ena-comune.

tro ALL WHoM rr MAY oo NcERN:

Be it known that we,iFREEMAN Moons and JOHN A. BAKER, beth ot`-Carrollton, in the county ot' Carroll, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Car-Couplings; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of. the nature, construction, and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made a p'art of this specification, and in whichv Figure 1 is a plan of a car-coupling embodying our invention.

Figure 2is a central longitudinal section of the same, the plane of section being indicated by the line a: fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation.

Similar lettersof reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This coupling consists of a. hing-ed latch, which is arranged within the throat of the draw-head, and connected to a. forked lever, which is acted upon by aspring, and pivoted in such a manner as to adapt the link or shackle to be automatically coupled when the cars come together, or to be instantaneously uncoupled in the event of one of the trucks runningo" the track. Provision is also made foroperating the latch by means of a lever, S0 that the link can be vuncoupled by a person standing upon the platform', the desired end being thus accomplished without exposing the body or limbs to danger.

In order that others skilled in the art to which our invention appertains may be enabled to fully under stand and use the same, we will proceed to describe it in detail. Y

In the accompanying drawings, A may represent a draw-bar, to which a spiral or rubber spring is applied at B, to enable the draw-head A1 to yield in customary manner when the cars come together. The interior of the draw-head A1 diverges toward the mouth thereof, and in the throat of the draw-head is pivotcd an angular latch, D, which is connected. to the upper arm El of the forked lover E through the medium of a link, F, which is jointed to its two connectons,.as represented. When the shackle G is coupled, its shouldered head e'ngages on the-under side with the shoulder a in the draw-head, and thisV engagement is maintained by the latch D,

vwhich not only serves to hold down the shackle G, but is adapted, by engaging with the upper shoulder on the shackle-Ahead, to sustain the draught and prevent the shackle from becoming uncoupled when thrown upward by thejolting and vibrating motion of the cars. It will be observed that the coupling devices only sustain the draught temporarily, as it isapplied directlyrand entirely to the draw-bar when the parts are in their normal condition. A flat spring, H, or any other suitable contrivance may be made to act upon the forked lever E, so as to hold down the forward'end of the same, in order to retain the latch D inA connection with the shackle G. The shoulder a in the draw-head is faced with a separate plate of steel, which is fastened in position by means cfu. set-screw or otherwise, so as tobe replaced by a new plate when worn. I represents a lever occupying a central position below the draw-bar, as represented, and pivoted at 'L' to a pendant, N, which is secured by a socket and nut, N', to the rear endof the guidingshank or stem A2 of the draw-bar. The lever I is connected to the lever E through the medium of a slotted pendant, l, which is jointed to the rear end of said lever E. The lever I also carries at its free end a bar, I', which restsy beneath and projects laterally from the drawhead at either side thereof. J is a rigid arm attached to the side ofthe draw-head, and extending forward ofthe same. An arm on the adjacent car, and corresponding with J, will bear downward upon the bar I in the event of either of the cars running oil` the track,`and the consequent depression of the lever I willactu-ate the lever E, causing Vthe lower arm E2 of said lever to raise the lower shoulder of the shackle out of engagement with the 'shoulder a, while the simultaneous upward movement of the upper arm of the lever raises thelatch D. Thus the shackle is instantly'released, so as to uncouple and detach the adjoining cars in cascone of them should run o' the track. L represents a lever secured to the frame of the car by a fulcrum-pin, L', and designed to be vihratedby a personstanding'upon the top or platform. 'ihe hookedv end of the horizontal arm of thie'lever when forced downward bears uponthe lever I, and by depressing the rear end of E has the same cifect as the depression ofthe bar I', as above described, namely, to release the shouldered head of the shackle G and per mit the same to u'ncouplc. The 'lever L is intended to form the means of uncoupling under ordinary circumstances. Thc, lever L, when in position to dsengage the coupling devices may be held immovably by resting in a notch, m, of the stationary segment M. If the lever occupy this latter position when the cars are coupled, the frictional action of lover I upon J will be suicont to throw the vertical arm of L out of' the notch m, thereby permitting the coupling devices to instantaneously engage with tbe entering shackle. Of course it is unneccssary. to hold up the latch I) by means of the lever L, for the tapering head of' the shackle G will, on entering the drawbead, lift and pass behind the latch D, which is then immediately depressed by the conjoint action of' the shackle-head upon the arm E2, and of the spring H upon the lever E.

We have thus described devices which will unfaiiingly couple the cars without manipulation, and which will instantly disconnect the ears in case ol' accident, together with a simple and effective means whereby the coupling is placed under the control of a person upon the ear or platform.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new herein, and desire to .secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The latch D, in combination with the forked lever E El E2, the same being,r arranged so as to automatically couple tho link or shackle G, substantially in the manner set forth.

2. The combination with the above ofthe lever I, bar I', and arm J, the same being arranged as described, and employed to unoouple and disconnect the cars in the event of running off the track, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the latch D, link F, forked lever E El E2, and sprin II, all arrangedand operating in the manner and fo1- the purpose speclied.

4. The combination with the coupling and uncoupling devices herein described of the lever L, arranged and employed in the manneland for the purpose set forth.

To tbe above specification of our improvement We have signed our hands thisV 18th day of April, 1807.'

FREEMAN MOORE, JOHN A'. BAKER.

Witnesses:

CIIAs. A. Pmrir, NATHAN Ettsivon'ru. 

